Urgent Obedience

We so easily pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

To live and move and to have our being in Christ demands that we live in increasing alignment with His imperatives, found in His expressed will. There is no other way to joyful fulfillment of our purpose. He who would be great in the Kingdom must evidence the humility of the obedience of faith.

Without faith a man cannot please God, to be sure, but it is also true that the measure of God’s pleasure in His sovereign reign over His Kingdom is the rule of obedience. Each increment of that rule is an identification with Christ in his obedience or in His suffering, None of us stand in s state of stasis against that rule. This is a lesson taught in Gethsemani that still must be learned in each heart on a moment by moment basis. Pure submission to the authority of Christ is the only way forward into delight, and this must be effected with earnest fervor and urgency. There is no laissez-faire way to our destination.

When Loss is Gain...

I started a new way of eating May 22. I hesitate to call it a diet, as I am actually eating better and more than before, just being very aware of calories and adding more exercise to my lifestyle. It's working, as I have pulled off 27 pounds thus far, an average of three pounds a week. I have a long way to go, but I am encouraged! At this rate, Santa will need to bring a new wardrobe for Christmas.

Earnie has joined me in the quest and she has lost 17 pounds as well. You GO girl!

WHEN THE DAY OF TOIL IS DONE

The original words were written by John Ellerton in 1870.They still speak to me today, so I have adapted them to a new song.

When the day of toil is done,
When the race of life is run,
Father, grant your wearied one
Rest forevermore.

When the strife of sin is stilled,
When the foe within is killed,
Be your gracious Word fulfilled:
Peace forevermore.

When the darkness melts away
At the breaking of the day,
There where glory lights the way:
Light forevermore.

Lord, in Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Lord, in Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

When the heart by sorrow tried,
Feels at length its pain subside,
Bring us, where all tears are dried,
Joy forevermore.

When for vanished days we yearn,
Days that never can return,
Teach us in Your love to learn
Love forevermore.

When the breath of life has flown,
When the grave must claim its own,
May we live before your throne,
Life forevermore.

Lord, in Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Lord, in Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Music, new words, and chorus Anthony Foster
July 20, 2010

Lord Help Me Hear

So many voices fill this place
Lord shout your will out loud
Above the din I hear mercy and grace
Where before I heard only the crowd

Lord help me hear from you
For Your Word is True
You have spoken, it is clear
So now give me a listening ear
Lord help me hear, help me hear…

Every one that is of the truth hears your voice
So I want to make faith’s obedient choice
Help me your Covenant to keep
As I hear your cry within the deep

May there be no other voice
To distract me from your word
That beckons me to hear its noise
Or challenge the Truth I have heard

Lord help me hear from you
For Your Word is True
You have spoken, it is clear
So now give me a listening ear
Lord help me hear, help me hear…


Anthony Foster
July 25, 2010

Holy Hiding Place

Oh we wrestle then we rest
Try so hard to pass the test
Anxious spirits need Your grace
Here in our Holy hiding place

We’re exhausted by our best
Our self effort’s rarely blessed
We need to cease to state our case
And come to the Holy hiding place

We would cease to wrestle
As we seek to nestle
Safe beneath Your winsome wing
Here in peace we safely sing

Here Your perfect peace attains
Here our losses become gains
Where peace in righteous fullness reigns…

We will only cease the quest
When our weakness we’ve confessed
Retiring from the pace of the race
Here in our Holy hiding place

Oh we wrestle then we rest
By life’s turmoil we are stressed
We would fall in Christ’s embrace
Here in our Holy hiding place
Here we see God face to face
Here in our Holy hiding place.

Anthony Foster
Julay 23, 2010